Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-12-29
STOCK SPECULATION.
Sketches of Some Men Well known In
Wall Street.

Wright, IL. K Enos has been promi-
nent operator in Wall street. In fact,
there are few men who are better
known there; but his positive conyic-
tions and his extreme manner of as
serting them have at times, cost him a
good many friends. What Mr. Enos
believes in regard to the market he
knows, and woe betide the man who
thinks different. Still, he has been I'M
usually successful, and at one time had
such close relations with Mr.. Wander
bilt that he found it advantageous to
of the New York Central depot in
Forty-second street.
A little incident which occurred dur
inc the life of Mr.. Vanderbilt, when
he was actively interested in Wall
street operations, and when his branch
office was profting by his orders, will
illustrate the secrecy which speculation
in stocks is conducted. 4 private
wire extended from the inner Office of
Mr.. Vanderbilt to that of his broker,
with an operator at each end. Natur-
ally the character of the dispatches re-
ceiyed by the brokers operator eX-
cited intense interest, and he was ex-
tremely curious to discover from
whom they emanated. During
lull in business, the brokers' operator
tele9raphed to his correspondent at
the other end of the line ''Who the
devil are you, anyway" The reply
came back very promptly: ASK your
employer" and probably to this day
the poor fellow is in ignorance of the
source of the numerous orders which
he received for his employer to pur-
chase and sell stocks.
1t would be difficult to conceive two
natures more diametrically opposite
than those of Mr. Enos and the
partner who has been associated with
him during the most of the past twenty
years. Mr.. Buck is never aggressive,
nor does ne permit himself to become
the market. In fact, as compared
with Mr.. Enos, he is gentleness per
sonified. He is the balance wheel which
regulates the machinery of the office,
and his cool Judgment and concise
analysis are far superior to those of his
senior
A little man with white hair, but
firm step and erect figure, is always to-
be found during business hours at what
is known as the upper end of the stock
exchange. He is Familiarity known as
Charley Charley Clark. He is
still one of ''the boys" and is as close
ly devoted to his business as any men,
Der Of the board Mr.. Clark was born
in Massachusetts, in 1898, he went to
Charleston, S. c., and embarked IN
business in 1926, remained there for
ten years. Coming to New York, he
joined the stock-eXchange in 1886, and
with the exception of one man, he is
the oldest member of the exchange
Mr.. Clark paid $3.50 for his member
ship, and. during the fifty-one years of
his service as q stock-broker, he has
not been absent from his business more
than six months altogether on account
of either pleasure or sickness. Prompt
" in me morning as the hand of the
clock points to $3.50 MI. Clark takes his
place in the Erie crowd, where he
makes a speciality of dealing in odd
lots, when nothing better offers, and
where he is always on the alert for any
stray orders that may chance to come
his way. His hearing is still SO good
that he often declares he can even hear
man thinking of giving him an order
before he gets the order either to pur-
chase or sell stocks. He is full of
quaint humor and enjoys a good story
as we'll as anybody.
The venerable little broker never
hesitates to remind a fellow-broker. in
dull market, that he is always on
hand to execute any orders in case his
associate may not have time to remain
in the crowd. LET every man skin
his own eel" is a favorite motto, by
which he seeks to imply that he does
not wish to divide his transactions
with others. He is always bear, if
he has anything to buy, and bull
with the greatest confidence in higher
prices, if he happens to have an order
to sell stocks.
At the time that the question was dis
cussed of establishing a gratuity fund
for the benefit of the heirs of members
of the exchange, which gratuity fund
now represents q considerable portion
of the value of seat on the New York
stock exchange, the plan was violently
opposed by number of the younger
members on the ground that it was
gotten up for the benefit of ''old fossils
like Charlie Clark" In recent years
he enjoys abiding to the insurance
clause of the constitution. and has
been frequently heard to remark that
he had buried nearly all his colleagues
who were living at that time and that
he would soon issue invitations for the
celebration of his centennial birthday to
any members of the exchange that
might then be left.
Mr.. Clark is faithful attendant at
church, and on one occasion, when the
minister happened in his sermon to
make use of the expression, "odd
lots, he unconsciously sprang to his
feet and exclaimed: Here you are.
What DO you want to do?"
When asked why he did not retire
from business in favor of his son.
who is now so years of age, he was
prompt with the reply that he would
never trust his boy among those Wall
street sharks. The pages of the ex-
change are always very attractive to
him, anticipating his wants from the
time that he enters the board until